The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA), an independent non-profit standard-setting and certification organization for automotive crash parts, has announced that Stacy Bartnik, industry relations manager – CAPA Certification Program, Intertek, will again serve as a judge for the SkillsUSA Championships Collision Repair Technology skills competition. Bartnik previously served as a judge at the 2019 SkillsUSA Championships, the last in-person national championship prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bartnik has more than three decades of experience in the collision repair industry, including expertise on fit and finish, to evaluate contestants’ performance.
The SkillsUSA Championships will be held June 20-24 in Atlanta, as part of the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC), a showcase of career and technical education students. During the week, more than 6,500 career and technical education students, all state contest winners, will compete hands-on in 108 different trade, technical and leadership fields. Contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations and labor organizations. Test competencies are set by industry.
During the Collision Repair Technology competition, contestants illustrate their expertise by completing three different repairs on a bumper fascia, tab repair and two tears using flexible filler and plastic welding. They are then evaluated based on prep of repair area, products used, quality of sanding and featheredge, weld quality and finished repair quality.
“Stacy has dedicated over a decade to this competition – a testament of her exceptional level of experience within and commitment to the industry,” CAPA Executive Director and Board Chair Clark Plucinski said. “One of CAPA’s priorities has always been to work with the industry to ensure high-quality repairs are done using the right part for the job and to work with the industry to see that all needs are being met.”
“After a two-year hiatus due to COVID cancellations, I am so pleased to be able to support SkillsUSA and the contestants in person once again,” Bartnik said. “Especially in these challenging times of finding qualified staff at so many levels, I appreciate the opportunity to see how prepared these students are as they start their careers. Participating in SkillsUSA is just one of the ways we can support the continued growth of the industry.”
For more information: www.skillsusa.org
